Greece's Ministry of National Economy and Finance published Deputy Minister Giorgos Kotsiras’ remarks to Parliament’s Standing Committee on Economic Affairs on a draft law that would reshape the framework for charitable assets and foundations, unclaimed inheritances and donations to the State, alongside amendments to income, property and value added tax rules and other provisions. The proposals focus on digitising supervision, introducing clearer processes for dealing with inactive entities and unclaimed estates, and tightening transparency while using tax measures to encourage donations and philanthropic activity. The draft bill would establish an Electronic Register of Charitable Foundations and Assets to consolidate dispersed records held by Decentralised Administrations and require publication of all foundation management decisions in the register. It also introduces objective criteria to classify a foundation as inactive and a reactivation process with a set deadline, and replaces the current court route for unclaimed inheritances with a new administrative process supported by interoperable registries, digital tools, an expert committee opinion and the involvement of the State Legal Council. Tax measures include corporate income tax exemption for revenues of active charitable foundations and standalone endowments registered in the electronic register, inheritance and donation tax exemption for active charitable foundations, and value added tax exemption for donations to the State and public sector entities; additional provisions flagged include circulation tax exemption for vehicles used by volunteer firefighter organisations, protected treatment of certain court-awarded disaster compensations, rationalisation of kiosk and small convenience store taxation, and measures relating to support for over-indebted professionals. The draft law is being examined in the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs as part of the parliamentary process.
Ministry of National Economy and Finance (Greece) 2025-12-05
Greece's Ministry of National Economy and Finance sets out draft bill to create an electronic register for charitable foundations and introduce tax incentives for donations
Greece's Ministry of National Economy and Finance presented a draft law to Parliament's Standing Committee on Economic Affairs to reform charitable assets, unclaimed inheritances, and State donations. Key proposals include digitising supervision, establishing an Electronic Register of Charitable Foundations, and introducing tax exemptions to encourage philanthropy. The draft law also proposes a new administrative process for unclaimed inheritances and various tax measures to support charitable activities and over-indebted professionals.